The use of handheld devices in harsh environments has increased. The handheld devices used in harsh environments may not only have to function in a wide range of operating temperatures, but also they may have to withstand harsh treatment such as repeated drops onto hard surfaces. The handheld devices may be used in a dusty or wet area, and as such the handheld should prevent against the ingress of dust and water.
Thus rugged handheld devices that can meet the requirements of the harsh environments require unique design considerations, in addition to the design considerations of non-rugged handheld devices.
For example, in order to ensure that water or dust does not enter the handheld device, the handheld device may need to meet or surpass Ingress Penetration (IP) tests. Typically this has required the sealing of the connection between housing components or parts using a gasket or similar seal.
However, the sealing may cause problems during assembly of the handheld device as the sealing must be seated correctly prior to securing housing components together. The sealing may make the resealing of housing components together in the field difficult.
The environment that rugged handheld devices are used in, in general results in parts needing to be replaced more often than non-rugged handheld devices. For example a touch screen may be broken by the repeated use of a screwdriver as a stylus. A display may be broken by dropping it. Docking connectors may break through repeated docking and undocking, and keyboards or keypad may wear out from use. Replacement of individual components in the field may be difficult using typical housing designs for rugged handheld devices and their sealing structures.